Abutment construction for tubes



July 25, 1950 M. P. GRAHAM 2,516,767

ABUTMENT CONSTRUCTION FOR TUBES Filed April 50, 1947 Patented July 25, 1950 Matthew P. Graham, Detroit, Mien, assignor to Thompson Products, llnc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 30, 1947, Serial'No. 744,811

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an abutment construction for tubes and the method of producing thesame.

Specifically the invention deals with an abutment construction comprising a G-shaped or slotted ring telescoped in a tube and having the tube deformed into the slot or gap as well as into the body of the ring to form a longitudinally and rotatably locked abutment in the tube.

The invention will hereinafter be specifically described as embodied in a tie rod joint, but it should be understood that the principles of this invention are broadly applicable to abutments or bottoms for tubes in general.

According to the present invention, a cleft sleeve member or bottoming ring having a gap or notch therein is inserted in a tube or housing and the tube or housing is then deformed as by spinning, swedging, or the like to form nested anchoring beads holding the ring against longitudinal movement relative to the tube and to flow a rib-like portion of the tube into the gap of the ring to prevent rotation of the ring in thetube. The tube metal flowed into the gap and the triotion grip of the tube bead anchors the ring sufficiently so that a reamer can act on an end face of the ring to create an abutment shoulder at the exact desired position in the tube.

Furthermore, during the swedg'ing or beading operation, .the split ring will spring inwardly by an amount greater than the tube is set and its tendency, therefore, is to expand after the deforming operation, resulting in greater tightness within the tube.

A feature of the invention, therefore, is the provision of an abutment construction including a tubular member having a gap therein into which a portion of a tubular housing may befiowed for retaining the member against rotation.

Another feature .of the invention resides in the utilization of a single fiat strip to form economically a generally C-shaped bottoming member.

A further feature-oi the invention is the provision of a C-shaped bottoming member having recesses in the opposed ends thereof for locking the member against rotating and longitudinal movements ina tubular housing.

An object of the invention isto provide an inexpensive bottoming ring which may be easily locked in a tube and reamed without causing rotation thereof.

-A further object of the invention is to provide an abutment construction which is readily and securely positionediwithin a tubular housing and is prevented from rotating therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an abutment construction including a tubular member which may be inserted to a controlled distance within the end of a tube and then reamed to the exact dimension required to ,pifovidea smooth annular shoulder for tie rod assemblies and the like.

A specific object of the invention is to,pr,ovide a c-shaped bottoming ring which may be in;- serted to acontrolled distance within the .end of a tube and the tube tightly formed thereover, whereby the tube flows into. thegap in the C-ring and the ring. is held againstboth rotation-and translation,the ring being sprung inwardly by an amount greater than the tube is set during the tube forming operation and [subsequently tending to expand increasing its tightness within the tube.

Other and further objects of the invention'will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention. I

On the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of. a tubular housing for a tie rod assembly including an abutment construction accordingto this invention; 7

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary -,longitudinal sectional view takensubstantially on the line 11-11 of Figure l with parts partially in. elevation;

Figurev 3 is an isometric view of a, .ceshaped bottoming ring accordingto this invention;

Figure 4 is-a iragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the c-ring of Figure 8 inserted within a tubular housing, prior tow the forming operation thereof; V

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taker-.1 substantially along the lineV-Vof Figure:2; 7

Figure 6 is a fragmentarylongitudinal sectional view taken substantially along theline VII-N3. of Figure 5; v

Figure 7, is an isometric view ofsan alternate embodiment of my invention; and I Figure 8 .is a fragmentary. longitudinal sectional view similar .to Figure :2 but s howingthe alternate embodiment of my invention.

As shown on the drawings:

My invention will be described as to its physi cal structure;- it is believed that themethod of producing my abutment constructionwill besufficiently clear therefrom so that specific reference to the method-will beunnecessary.

In Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral I designates a tubular tie rod housing having an internally threaded end I00; and a cylindrical opening IIlb in the peripheral portion of the housing adjacent the threaded end Illa.

The housing is adapted to receive a tie rod assembly II composed of a pair of oposed bearing blocks I2 and I3, a helical spring I4 abutting the block I2 adjacent the threaded end Ina, a closure plug I5 threading into the end IIla against the spring M and a ball stud I6 having a ball end Ita projecting into said opening I91) and riding on the inner opposed semi-spherical dished portion Ho and I3a of the bearing blocks I2 and IS.

The bearing blocks I2 and I3 have cylindrical body portions I2b and I 3b fitting snugly into said tubular housing I?! with fiat outer surfaces I and I30, the surface I2c abutting the spring I4 for maintenance of a tight bearing relation between the bearing blocks and the ball end of the stud. I Anchoring the tie rod assembly II at any desired distancewithin the tubular housing I Q in cooperation with the closure plug I5 and spring I4 is theabutmentconstruction I? of my invention. The abutment construction comprises a shorttubular member or bottoming ring I 8 shown in Figure 3 preferably formed economically from a flat strip'and providing a longitudinal notch or gap Ilia between the spaced opposed ends I81; and I80 thereof. v

In manufacturingthe tie rod socket, the bottoming ring I8 is inserted to a controlled distance in the end of the housing It as shown in Figure 4. Thetube I I! is then formed tightly by spinning or swedging overfthe short bottom ring I8 as indicated at Illcfthus deform ng the tube and the ring I8 to produce a peripheral groove I 8d as shown in Figures 2 and 6. In this operation, the metal of the tube or housing II] indicated by reference numeral I M will flow into the notch I812 as shown in Figures 4 and. 5, thus locating the bottomingring and preventing its rotation under the action of a reamer. Because of this gap, therefore, the ringwill maintain its tightness within the tube, While the presence of a portion of the housing in the groove I 8d prevents displacement of the'ring. v

During the swedging or heading operation, the bottom ring will spring inward by an amount greater than the tube is' set. Its tendency, therefore, is to expand after the deforming operation, resulting in great tightness within the tube.

In assembling the tie rod joint, after the open-- ing lllbhas been formed and the tube end threaded'at Illa, the annular surface I8e of the bottoming ring I 8' is reamed to provide a smooth flat seating surface at the proper distance from the opening Iflb, The bearing block I3 is then insorted into the tuba-the outer surface I3c thereofabutting the annular reamed surface I8e. The ball end Ilia of the ball Stud I6 is next inserted through the opening I01) and into engagement with the dished portion E3a of the bearing block 13 The otherbearing block I2 is inserted in the tube to engage the ball end I Ea at its dished portion I2a, the helical spring I4 is inserted and the closure plug I'B' is then threaded on the end Illa of the tube compressing the spring which in turn urges the bearing block intoengagement with the ballend of the stud IE. n

As an alternative embodiment of my invention a bottoming ring such as designated by the reference numeral I 9 and shown in Figure 7 may be employed. 'The bottoming ring is sub.-

4 l stantially the same as the ring I8 with the exception that the opposed ends I9a and I9b have opposed recesses I and ISd therein providing a longitudinal gap I9e having an enlarged central portion I9 The resulting abutment construction after the same manufacturing process as for the ring I8 is similar except that the metal of the tube 20 flows into the recesses I9c and I9d as well as the other parts of the gap I9e. The sides of the recesses I90 and ISd thus serve as a further reinforcing lock against longitudinal displacement as well as providing added tube metal resisting rotation, while providing the same annular seating area to the bearing block I3.

Reference numeral 20a represents the annular constructed portion of the tube and I99 the corresponding annular groove in bottoming ring 20.

From the above description it will be understood that the invention now provides an abutment construction for tubular housings such as used with a tie rod assembly which is capable of being reamed Without loosening rotation to provide a smooth fiat surface abutment for seating bearing blocks of tie rod assemblies and the like. The abutment construction includes a C-shaped member economically formed of a single fiat strip.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tie rod joint comprising a tube housing for receiving a tie rod assembly, a tubular memher having a central peripheral groove therearound and a gap therein, the housing formed into said groove and gap to prevent rotation and translation of said members with respect to the housing.

2. In a tie rod joint comprising a tubular housing for receiving a tie rod assembly, a generally C-shaped bottoming ring having recesses in the spaced opposed ends thereof, the housing flowed into said recesses and between the spaced opposed ends of said bottoming ring.

3. In a tie rod joint comprising a tubular housing for receiving a tie rod assembly, a generally c-shaped tubular member having a recess in at least one of the spaced opposed ends thereof and said member having an annular depression in the periphery thereof, the housing flowed into said depression, recess and between said spaced ends.

4. A housing assembly comprising a tubular body, a cleft sleeve in the body, nested embossments on the body and sleeve holding the sleeve and body in fixed longitudinal relation, and a rib on the body projecting into the cleft gap of the sleeve to hold the sleeve and body in fixed rotative relation.

5. A housing for joints and the like comprising a tube, a cleft ring in said tube, an internal rib on said tube projecting into the cleft gap of the ring for holding the ring against rotation, and an inwardly extending annular head on said tube nested into said ring for'holding the ring against longitudinal movement in the tube.

6. In a tie rod assembly including a tubular housing for receiving a ball stud with a ball end riding in opposed bearing blocks, a tubular memher having a flat annular surface abutting one bearing block, said member havinga longitudinal gap therein and an annular constriction therearound, and said housing at least partially filling said gap and constriction, whereby said member is held against rotation and translation in said housing.

Number MATTHEW P. GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 Number file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Beranger et a1. Dec. '7, 1897 Burton Dec. 5, 1899 Garman Sept. 5, 1922 Appleton Dec. 15, 1936 Klages Sept. 1'7, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1894 Great Britain of 1896 

